Bench made or zero tolerance

[Saltwater60]

Looking for a new EDC knife and I'd like to maybe step up in quality. I carry kershaw for now. My last one I did not like the pocket clip as its loose and I kept loosing my knife. I'd always find it, but now it just sits on a shelf. I'd like a blade about 3-3.5" and the assisted open. Let me know what your thoughts are. Right now I'm going between benchmade and zero tolerance, but I'm open to others. Gander has a sale so I might run over there today or tomorrow to see if I can get a descent deal on a benchamde.

 

[Podmonkey]

Benchmade makes great functional knives that ocassionaly have less than optimal grinds, particularly with S90V.
Zero Tolerance makes pocket jewelery. Excellent build qualtity but often at the expense of function. ZT knives are often heavy for what they are.
Do you want a knive to use? Then Benchmade
Wanna knife to show off? Then ZT
For Benchmade I'd look at their foundational trio: Mini Griptilian, 940 Osbourne, 710 McHenry, In order of accending size.
Also check out Spyderco, love Spyderco.

 

[minderasr]

@Podmonkey pretty much nailed it. ZTs are BBQ knives (like BBQ guns). I love my Benchmade Griptilian (full size, not the mini) and it's my EDC. My only issue with the Griptilians is the scales feel cheap, but none the less a great knife.

 

[Saltwater60]

Ok that sums it up. I want a knife to use. I was looking at the 940 or the griptilian. So thanks guys.

 

[Plater1]

I have been carrying the same Emerson for nearly 20 years. Very good quality, just a little on the heavy side for a pocket knife.

 

[Podmonkey]

Benchmade offers a full customizer service for the Griptilian and Barrage families. It is possible to spec G10 scales among many other things. This is at a cost premium.
I spec'd my mini grip to the 9s. It was a small fortune but I absolutely love the thing. I will say the 940 Osbourne, despite having a 3.4" blade vs the Mini's 2.9" blade, carries in the pocket better.
The 940 is just about the ultimate EDC knife. I'd recomend the 940-2 version. It has G10 scales and an S30V blade.

 

[Podmonkey]

Also, a word on assisted opening. Its a gimmick. A finely engineered and manfactured unassisted knife will fire out just as fast. When you check out the 940 you will see.

 

[Saltwater60]

Also, a word on assisted opening. Its a gimmick. A finely engineered and manfactured unassisted knife will fire out just as fast. When you check out the 940 you will see.

Nice to know. About the assisted vs non assisted. That's just what I'm used to so you know how that goes. I'm making my wife buy it for our anniversary so I do t really care what it costs. I'm buying her $1,500 earrings so she can buy me a nice knife.

 

[Frankly]

I love my 4 ounce 3.8" made in USA modern steel Kershaws for under $80.

I don't care how it opens but flicking it open with the assist is quick and definitive unlike the non-assisted blades where you never quite know if it clicked lock.

Owned Benchmades, ZTs, Spydercos, etc. none are as practical. Most are more delicate or too precious.

If a pocket clip is loose bend it in a vise.

Ontario makes a good knife right here in NY but the Kershaws are a little finer.

 

[Cooolone]

If the choice was strictly Benchmade or ZT, I would probably go ZT! But for a commercially made knife, I like Kershaw, Boker... Lately, I have a nice ceramic neck knife I carry in my pocket, sharp as obsidian and blade never dulls. If you want a work horse, look at the Spyderco Techno knife SP-C158TIP. Tool steel blade (CTS-XHP) and Titanium handles...

 

[Saltwater60]

What's the deal with all the tip up pocket carry knives. It could be that much m idea to tip down, but it just feels like I can open them faster. Maybe not.
Also I looked at gander near me and all they had were $250 benchmades that you can find for $170 on the web. Oh wait they were 20% off so $210 wow great deal. Not. I bought 4 boxes of 22 and that's it.
I kind of like the benchmade torrent for right now. I will take another look at some kershaws and they are fine. That's what I've had for years. I just thought I'd step up in quality since I don't need anything else right now. I'll also look at the ontarios and bokers. I've never been a fan of how spiderco knives open. Don't like the circle. I'm not set on either brand, but I do like butterflies??

 

[Podmonkey]

I love my 4 ounce 3.8" made in USA modern steel Kershaws for under $80.

I don't care how it opens but flicking it open with the assist is quick and definitive unlike the non-assisted blades where you never quite know if it clicked lock.

Owned Benchmades, ZTs, Spydercos, etc. none are as practical. Most are more delicate or too precious.

If a pocket clip is loose bend it in a vise.

Ontario makes a good knife right here in NY but the Kershaws are a little finer.

I don't know what Benchmades or Spydercos you've owned but the ones I've owned were as or more robust than the Kershaws I've had. Assisted opening really is a gimmick, one sometimes used to disguise poor pivot design. In many designs the spring mechanism takes away room available for the pivot bushing. just disassemble a Blur and you will see on one side the bushing is much smaller in diameters on the spring side compared to the non spring side. This can cause blade centering issues. Any unassisted Spyderco or Benchmade will fire out very quickly and lock with a hearty thwak. Now I do have some Kershaws, and I like them a lot. My Spydies and Benchmades are on a different level though.

What's the deal with all the tip up pocket carry knives. It could be that much m idea to tip down, but it just feels like I can open them faster. Maybe not.
Also I looked at gander near me and all they had were $250 benchmades that you can find for $170 on the web. Oh wait they were 20% off so $210 wow great deal. Not. I bought 4 boxes of 22 and that's it.
I kind of like the benchmade torrent for right now. I will take another look at some kershaws and they are fine. That's what I've had for years. I just thought I'd step up in quality since I don't need anything else right now. I'll also look at the ontarios and bokers. I've never been a fan of how spiderco knives open. Don't like the circle. I'm not set on either brand, but I do like butterflies??

Tip up is faster and easier to deploy, the knife is already properly oriented in the hand when you go to deploy the blade. Tip down requires you to vertically pivot the knife in your palm before opening. This is fine for larger knives such as a Spyderco Military but is less convenient for smaller knives. I myself love the Spydie hole, its fast, simple, intuitive and versatile. I generally prefer to flick my Spydies open using my middle finger. This way just rockets the blade out.

 

[capitalcrew]

I just went from a leek to a 940 for my EDC and I can confirm that assisted opening is a gimmick. I liked it when I had it, but this thing opens faster, easier, and more surely every time. It's wicked sharp, not really noticeably larger in the pocket, the lack of weight is unreal as well. It's a MUCH better knife. Bought mine on amazon.

It is well worth the 170 I paid. Oh, and the pocket clip might as well be a vice grip. You will not lose this knife.

 

[Podmonkey]

Here, y'all tell me if this is any slower than an assisted. Also demonstration of the versatility of the Spydie hole.
Edit, click on the little arrow boxes in the corner if the vids don't load.
Yes dats me. Did it just now while waiting to be unloaded.

 

[capitalcrew]

I was going to make a video of opening my 940 to post a little later haha. You got it covered though.

The spyderco is a great option that's a bit cheaper than the benchmade, my buddy has one and it's excellent.

 

[Podmonkey]

The Paramilitary 2, I think, is the best that Spyderco has to offer for EDC. The compression lock is brillant!

 

[Saltwater60]

Wow hab

Here, y'all tell me if this is any slower than an assisted. Also demonstration of the versatility of the Spydie hole.
Edit, click on the little arrow boxes in the corner if the vids don't load.
Yes dats me. Did it just now while waiting to be unloaded.

Wow. Thabks for those videos and insight. I'm actually kind of glad the assistednis a gimmick and the tip up is a better option. I'm just used to the thumb studs and tip down carrying. That opens up a lot of options I was not considering. Also will likely save me some money. I know the spidercos are great knives I really prefer the benchmade designs just purely style an that's more of what I'm used to. Well I'll let you guys know my choice. Scary.

 

[Frankly]

I don't think assisted opening is a gimmick or that it lessens the integrity of the knife. If anything it allows me to have a lower profile knife that goes in and out of my pocket without catching. My Benchmade 940 was pretty flimsy compared to a Kershaw Blur but to each his own. After being down the expensive knife road I also learned - to me - what makes a reasonably priced knife a useful tool. $69 for a Glassbreaker Blur is a nice middle ground between the really expensive stuff and the cheap foreign made. I've had really expensive guns and gone back to moderately priced good ones after learning the difference and what's good and bad... same goes for knives.

Another analogy is to go try a $1500 suit on then go to Men's Wearhouse and try on one of their $159 suits. Odds are you'll know better what to look for and can probably find a better quality $300-$400 suit after gaining that experience.


I like Tip-Up carry myself.

 

[Saltwater60]

I don't think assisted opening is a gimmick or that it lessens the integrity of the knife. If anything it allows me to have a lower profile knife that goes in and out of my pocket without catching. My Benchmade 940 was pretty flimsy compared to a Kershaw Blur but to each his own. After being down the expensive knife road I also learned - to me - what makes a reasonably priced knife a useful tool. $69 for a Glassbreaker Blur is a nice middle ground between the really expensive stuff and the cheap foreign made. I've had really expensive guns and gone back to moderately priced good ones after learning the difference and what's good and bad... same goes for knives.

Another analogy is to go try a $1500 suit on then go to Men's Wearhouse and try on one of their $159 suits. Odds are you'll know better what to look for and can probably find a better quality $300-$400 suit after gaining that experience.


I like Tip-Up carry myself.

I have had my eye on the bluer for quite sometime now. I have passed on it a number of times. I guess it will come down to blade length, blade steel, and weight. I'm looking for a lighter knife this time around.

 

[Podmonkey]

Wow hab

Wow. Thabks for those videos and insight. I'm actually kind of glad the assistednis a gimmick and the tip up is a better option. I'm just used to the thumb studs and tip down carrying. That opens up a lot of options I was not considering. Also will likely save me some money. I know the spidercos are great knives I really prefer the benchmade designs just purely style an that's more of what I'm used to. Well I'll let you guys know my choice. Scary.

I like Benchmade and Spyderco equally well. BM's Axis lock is the best lock in pocket knives. You saw how fast I can cycle that axis lock in the top vid. But I also really like the compression lock in the Paramilitary 2 in the bottom vid. The really nice thing about both is that they keep your fingers clear of the blade when closing the knife, which makesnit possible to flicknthe knife closed for extra style points.

 

[Podmonkey]

I don't think assisted opening is a gimmick or that it lessens the integrity of the knife. If anything it allows me to have a lower profile knife that goes in and out of my pocket without catching. My Benchmade 940 was pretty flimsy compared to a Kershaw Blur but to each his own. After being down the expensive knife road I also learned - to me - what makes a reasonably priced knife a useful tool. $69 for a Glassbreaker Blur is a nice middle ground between the really expensive stuff and the cheap foreign made. I've had really expensive guns and gone back to moderately priced good ones after learning the difference and what's good and bad... same goes for knives.

Another analogy is to go try a $1500 suit on then go to Men's Wearhouse and try on one of their $159 suits. Odds are you'll know better what to look for and can probably find a better quality $300-$400 suit after gaining that experience.


I like Tip-Up carry myself.

To each their own indeed but I don't at all, in any way, in any how, of any any any sort see how a 940 is flimsy. At all. Especially compared to a Blur. I have two blurs, and I think the Blur is one of Kershaw's best knives BUT... cycle them enough and then assist spring will break. I have broken the springs on both my Blurs. The are still usable without the spring but you lose much of the detent strength keeping it closed. Also I've busted my first blur, broke the blade, in hard use. I have beaten the shit out of my 940 for 2 years and it has never failed me. I once was even so foolish to use my 940 to pry up wooden blocks nailed to the floor of my trailer and to no ill effect.
Now, again, I like Kershaw just fine, I really miss the Skyline I lost. But the are just not at the same level as Benchmade. They don't have to be though, they serve different niches. I just completely disagree with the assertion that the 940 is more "flimsy" than the Blur when my experience has been the exact opposite.
Spyderco has models that run the gamut with value models like the Tenacious family or better yet the Delica/Endura families up to the $400 high end production level.

 

[minderasr]

BM's Axis lock is the best lock in pocket knives.

This x 100.

 

[dubleuhb]

I am hooked on the AXIS, carry something different about ever week or depending on what I'm doing.
Have a couple more somewhere, think they are down on the bench, awaiting a new edge.

 

[Jem45472]

I was set on getting a zt until this thread got me looking into benchmades new models. The 560 freek is now in my future.

 

[Podmonkey]

Not super keen on the plastic scales of the 560 BUT $130 for an axis lock and S30V blade, well its tough to argue with that.

 

[Saltwater60]

I am hooked on the AXIS, carry something different about ever week or depending on what I'm doing.
Have a couple more somewhere, think they are down on the bench, awaiting a new edge.

I was thinking the freek as well, but it's a lot heavier. Do you notice the extra weight in your pocket. I'm asking because you have so many that range from 3-6 oz. I'm leaning towards the Osborne 2 because it's less than 3 oz, but could save some money or get the assisted open knife if I went to 4.5 oz. I'm not figuring I'd notice, but thought I'd ask you. Remember I want to add a small flash light and I carry a gun with 2 extra mags.

 

[Podmonkey]

I am hooked on the AXIS, carry something different about ever week or depending on what I'm doing.
Have a couple more somewhere, think they are down on the bench, awaiting a new edge.

Nice. I will direct folks to you when people waggle their fingers at me for buying $100+ knives.

 

[Saltwater60]

Went to dinner today for our anniversary and we stopped at cabelas and they actually had a nice selection of benchmade knives. I played with 4-5 of them and as soon as I picked up the emissary and flipped it out my face lit up. My wife said that's the one huh. I said yep. I love it. It flips out so fast and smooth it's not even funny. Super light and has the thumb stud and a notch cut out of the handle so you can get at it. I bought the smaller size. There was a larger one, but the blade was only about 1/4" longer and it was so much heavier. I tried the non assisted knives and they were nice, but the assisted was the ticket for me. Really a nice knife. I'll Post pictures tomorrow

 

[Saltwater60]

Sorry couldnt wait. Also price at cabelas is the same as on line. I can't get over how comfortable, light, and smooth the action is. I think I will be very happy.

 

[Podmonkey]

Very nice.